RYERSON UNIVERSITY

POLICY OF SENATE
UNDERGRADUATE ACADEMIC CONSIDERATION AND APPEALS

Policy Number: 134

Approval Date: March 3, 2009

Previous Approval Dates: April 1, 2003, January 25, 2005

Responsible Office: Provost and Vice President Academic

Implementation Date: Fall 2010

Procedures Reviewed: May, 2011; April 2, 2013

Review Date: Fall 2015, or sooner at the request of the Provost

 POLICY INDEX PAGE
I. ACADEMIC CONSIDERATION 1
IA. General Regulations 1
IB. Alternate Arrangements 2
1. Accommodation for Missed Examination and/or Assignment: Religious Observance 2
2. Accommodation for Disability 2
3. Alternate Arrangements for Missed Examination and/or Assignment: Medical or 3
Compassionate
4. Arrangements for Inability to Complete Term Work in More Than One Course 3
5. Advance Consideration of Academic Standing 4
IC. Grade Reassessment 4
1. Regrading of work or Recalculation by instructor 4
2. Formal regrading of Work by Someone Other than the Instructor 4
ID. Course Management Issues 5
II. ACADEMIC APPEALS – GRADE AND STANDING 5
IIA. Grounds for Appeals 5
1. Medical 5
2. Compassionate 6
3. Course management 6
4. Prejudice 6
5.Procedural error 7
IIB. Student Responsibilities 7
1. Burden of Proof 7
2. Filing an appeal 7
IIC. Decision Maker Responsibilities 8
1. Responding to Appeals 8
2. General Regulations 9
3. Dismissal of Appeals 10
4. Conflict of Interest 10
5. Standard of Proof 10
IID. Senate Appeal Hearings 10
1. Senate Appeals Committee and Panels 10
2. Notice of Hearing 10
3. Hearing Regulations 10
4. Decisions 11
5. Record Keeping 11

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 ACADEMIC CONSIDERATION AND APPEALS
PROCEDURES INDEX
P-I. Academic Consideration 12
P-IA. General Regulations 12
P-IB. Alternate Arrangements 12
1. For a Conflict between a Religious Observance and an Examination, Test, or 12
Assignment Due Date
2. For Accommodation of a Disability 12
3. For Missed Assignment, Test and/or Examination for Medical and Compassionate 13
Reasons
3a.. Student Responsibility 13
3b. Instructor Responsibility 14
3c. Chair/Director Responsibility 14
4. For Inability to Complete Term Work in More Than One Course 14
4a. Student Responsibility 14
4b. Instructor Responsibility 15
4c. Chair/Director Responsibility 15
4d. Registrar Responsibility 15
5. Advance Request for Consideration of Academic Standing 15
P-IC. Grade Reassessment 16
1. Regrading or Recalculation by the Instructor 16
1a.. Student Responsibility 16
1b. Instructor Responsibility 17
1c. Chair/Director Responsibility 17
2. Formal Regarding of Work by Someone Other than the Instructor 17
2a.. Student Responsibility 17
2b. Instructor Responsibility 17
2c. Chair/Director Responsibility 17
P-ID. Course Management Issues 17
P-II. Academic Appeals 17
P-IIA. Grounds for Appeal 17
P-IIB. Department/School Level Appeals 17
1. Student Responsibility 17
2. Chair/Director Responsibility 18
P-IIC. Faculty Level Appeals 19
1. Student Responsibility 19
2. Dean Responsibility 20
P-IID. Appeals to Senate Appeals Committee 21
1. Student Responsibility 21
2. Chair/Director Responsibility 21
3. Secretary of Senate Responsibility 22
4. Appeal Panel Decisions 22
P-III. DISMISSAL OF APPEALS 22
P-IIIA Circumstances for Dismissal 23
P-IIIB Dismissal at the Faculty Level 24
P-IIIC Dismissal at the Senate Level 25
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Ryerson University is committed to promoting academic success and to ensuring that students’
academic records ultimately reflect their academic abilities and accomplishments. The University
expects that academic judgments by its faculty will be fair, consistent and objective, and recognizes
the need to grant academic consideration, where appropriate, in order to support students who face
personal difficulties or events. Academic consideration is the general name given to a number of
different alternate arrangements that may be made, dependent upon the circumstances and what is
appropriate for both the students and the University, such as the extension of a deadline for an
assignment, re-weighting of an exam or assignment because of missed work, the permission to
continue on probationary status. It should be understood that students can only receive grades which
reflect their knowledge of the course material.

This Policy* provides the process by which students may seek academic consideration. It is
expected that requests for academic consideration will be made as soon as circumstances arise
which will impact their academic performance. The policy also describes the grounds and process
by which students may appeal when they believe the academic consideration provided is not
appropriate or when they have been unable to resolve course-related issues with their instructors.†
The University is responsible for dealing with student appeals fairly and must adhere to the
timelines established in this policy.

Students should refer to University publications (the Calendars, the Student Guide, and the Senate
web site) for detailed information on the various types of academic consideration that may be
requested; necessary documents such as appeal forms, medical certificates and forms for religious
accommodation; and procedural instructions. Students are responsible for reviewing all pertinent
information prior to the submission of a formal academic appeal. Incomplete appeals will not be
accepted. Students are responsible for ensuring that a formal appeal is submitted by the deadline
dates published in the calendar, and must adhere to the timelines established in this policy.

The Academic Appeals process reflects decision-making in an academic environment and, as such,
cannot be equated to decision-making in the judicial system. The principles of natural justice and
fairness will apply to all decisions made.

I. ACADEMIC CONSIDERATION

IA. GENERAL REGULATIONS

1. It is the student’s responsibility to notify and consult with either the instructor, or the
Chair/Director of the teaching or program department/school, depending on the situation, as
soon as circumstances arise that are likely to affect academic performance.
2. It is the student’s responsibility to attempt to resolve all course-related issues with the
instructor as soon as they arise, and then, if necessary, with the Chair/Director of the
teaching Department/School. Failure to do so may jeopardize the success of an appeal made
at a later date.
3. It is the instructor’s responsibility to respond in a timely fashion when students raise grading
or course management issues.
4. It is the responsibility of the Department/School to ensure that Department/School
handbooks have up-to-date contact information published outlining who in the
school/department is responsible for academic consideration and appeals.
*
The “Graduate Student Academic Appeals Policy” applies for the School of Graduate Studies.
†
For the purposes of this document, “instructor” shall mean any person who is teaching a course at Ryerson.
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 5. When issues are not resolved with an instructor, or when a student does not receive a timely
response from an instructor, the Chair/Director should normally be contacted for an informal
resolution, where possible.
6. It is the Chair/Director’s responsibility to be accessible to discuss matters that cannot be
resolved between the instructor and the student.
7. If academic concerns are not resolved informally with the instructor or the Chair/ Director,
students may file an appeal with their Department/School.
8. If the Chair/Director is the instructor for a course in which an accommodation or alternate
arrangement is being requested and the matter cannot be resolved, he or she should request
that the Dean appoint an appropriate replacement to act as Chair/Director in the process.
9. Students who do not receive their final grades because of outstanding debt to the University,
risk missing the deadline for filing an appeal. Grades will not be officially released to
students with outstanding debt.
10. Students who are appealing their Required to Withdraw or Permanently Withdrawn standing
may continue in their program and shall be registered in courses on the basis of a
probationary contract until the standing appeal is resolved. Students must pay all
appropriate fees. If the appeal is denied and they remain Required to Withdraw or
Permanently Withdrawn, they will be given a full refund of the fees charged for the program
courses in which they enrolled that semester.
11. Appeals not filed by the published deadlines and incomplete appeals will normally not be
accepted. In extenuating circumstances, students or university administrators may request
that a Chair/Director, Dean, or the Secretary of Senate, depending upon the level, provide an
extension.
12. It is the student’s responsibility to maintain updated contact information with the University
to ensure that all information related to grades, standings and appeals are properly received.
Ryerson program students are required to maintain a Ryerson e-mail address. (See Policy
157: Establishment of Student E-Mail Accounts for Official University Communication).

IB. ALTERNATE ARRANGEMENTS

IB1. Accommodation for Missed Examination and/or Assignment: Religious, Aboriginal and
Spiritual Observance: Students must have filed the necessary forms for accommodation of
religious, aboriginal or spiritual observance as required by Policy 150: Accommodation of
Student Religious, Aboriginal and Spiritual Observance.

IB2. Accommodation for Disability: Students who wish to utilize Academic Accommodation
Support (formerly the Access Centre) accommodations must present Academic
Accommodation SupportAccess Centre documentation to the instructor prior to a graded
assignment, test or exam, according to Academic Acco mmo dation Support Access Formatted: Not Highlight
Centre Policies and Procedures, otherwise an appeal based on not receiving an
accommodation may be dismissed. (See Section III and Policy 159: Academic
Accommodation of Students with Disabilities.)

IB3. Alternate Arrangements for Missed Examination and/or Assignment: Medical or

Compassionate
a. Students shall inform their relevant instructor(s) (via email whenever possible) in advance
when they will be missing an exam, test or assignment deadline for medical or
compassionate reasons. When circumstances do not permit this, the student must inform
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the instructor(s) as soon as reasonably possible.

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 b. Alternate arrangements are based upon the severity of the circumstances and the amount
of work missed. Generally, normal employment commitments will not constitute grounds
for academic consideration. However, changes to normal employment commitments as a
result of a more complex issue may be part of a request for academic consideration.

c. In the case of illness, a Ryerson Medical Certificate, or a letter on letterhead from Formatted: Not Highlight
an appropriate regulated health professional physician with the student declaration portion Formatted: Not Highlight
of the Ryerson Medical Certificate attached, is required to be submitted to the office of
the student’s own program. For non-program students enrolled in courses at The G.
Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education, the Ryerson Medical Certificate is
required to be submitted to the Chang School. In all these cases, documentation is
required within three (3) working days of the missed work. In extraordinary
circumstances, exceptions to the 3-day requirement to provide documentation can be
granted if the medical illness, including documented mental health issues, prevents a
student from seeking medical attention or documenting their illness in a timely fashion.

d. Documentation required for reasons other than illness should be submitted to the office of
the student’s own program. For non-program students enrolled in courses at The G.
Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education, such documentation is required to be
submitted to the Chang School.

e. All faculty and staff are required to exercise discretion and adhere to the principles of
confidentiality regarding any documentation received.

f. Once an alternate arrangement is accepted, it is final unless subsequent events interfere

with the fulfillment of that alternate arrangement, and the grade in the course may not be
appealed based upon an allegation of the original arrangement being unfair.

g. Students who are either not offered an alternate arrangement or who do not accept the
alternate arrangement offered by an instructor, may consult with the Chair/Director. If the
test or assignment for which an alternate arrangement has been made becomes a point of
contention in the final course grade or or violates Policy 145: Undergraduate the
Course Management Policy or the course outline, the student may appeal the final
course grade at the end of the term, on the original medical or compassionate grounds

h. Normally a student who misses a final exam will be given an incomplete (INC) and given Formatted: Not Highlight
a make-up exam as soon as possible within the three-month completion period. Comment [MM1]: Is this ok?
Formatted: Not Highlight
i. Unless an incomplete grade (INC) is applicable, the instructor cannot grant extensions
beyond the final date for submission of grades as part of an academic consideration.

IB4. Arrangements for Inability to Complete Term Work in More Than One Course:
a. Students who are unable to complete their term work in more than one course, due to
circumstances that arise during the semester, should consult with the Chair/Director of
their program Department/School as soon as possible. Failure to do so may jeopardize the
ability to provide consideration and to launch a future appeal.

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 b. When seeking alternate arrangements, students must submit supporting documentation to
their program Chair/Director who should advise them as to what to do on a course-by-
course basis as soon as possible. A copy of the suggested arrangement will be kept on
record in the Department/School, and each instructor should be informed of the suggested
arrangement. Students must contact each instructor to verify that the suggested
arrangement is acceptable to the instructor.

c. Instructors should not require documentation to support the request for an alternate
arrangement, as the Chair/Director has already made an assessment.

d. While it is advisable for students to discuss dropping a course with the instructor, courses
may be dropped at the time of the consultation with the Chair/Director. The Chair/Director
must inform the involved faculty member that the student has dropped the course. The
Registrar will review documentation and contact the Chair/Director should any
clarification be required as to why a student should be granted an INC or course drop after
the deadline. The Registrar has final approval of both retroactive course withdrawal
without academic penalty and any possible financial arrangements that may result.

IB5. Advance Consideration of Academic Standing: If, during the semester, students
experience medical or compassionate circumstances that may later affect their academic
standing, it is the students’ responsibility to bring the situation to the attention of the
Chair/Director at the earliest possible time.

IC. GRADE REASSESSMENT

IC1. Regrading of Work or Recalculation by Instructor

a. Students who believe that an assignment, test or exam, either in whole or part, has not
been appropriately graded, or that there has been a miscalculation of a grade due to an Formatted: Not Highlight
omission, improper addition, etc., must contact the instructor to resolve the issue within
ten (10) working days of the date when the graded work is returned to the class. Grades
not questioned within this period will not be recalculated at a later date.

b. Students may be required to submit a written request for regrading, stating why the work
warrants a higher grade. The instructor must respond within five (5) working days. A
reassessment may result in the grade remaining the same, being raised or being lowered.
Students must receive feedback that addresses their rationale for requesting a regarding
of the work.

c. If there is a concern about work returned during the final week of classes, or a final
paper or exam, there might not be an opportunity to review the grade with the instructor
or to have the work remarked prior to the assignment of a final grade for the course. In
that case, a meeting with the instructor should be scheduled as soon as possible.

d. Students shall be given supervised access to any graded work that has not been returned
or to their final exams, and be permitted to use that work for a reasonable length of time
in order to prepare the required explanation for the re-grading request.

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 e. It is recognized that there are assignments that do not lend themselves to independent re-
evaluation, such as presentations or performances. Therefore, these may not be
reassessed.

IC2. Formal Regrading of Work by Someone Other than the Instructor

a. Students may request a formal regrading of their work if:
i. they do not accept an instructor’s regrading of the work; or
ii. the instructor has not responded to the student; or
iii. the instructor has not regraded the work within five (5) working days; or
iv. they do not feel they can discuss the matter with the instructor.

b. To request formal regrading, students must submit reasons, in writing to the

Chair/Director, as to why the original grade, and if applicable, the instructor’s revised
grade, was inappropriate, based on evidence from the course outline, course notes,
textbooks, etc. Asserting that the work deserves more marks or that the student disagrees
with the mark is not sufficient support for the reassessment. The Chair/Director may
deny the request for a regrading if the rationale is not based upon the merit of the work.

c. If the request for regrading is accepted, the Chair/Director will follow the procedures
outlined in the Procedures appended to this policy, to have the work formally regraded.

d. A regrading may result in the grade remaining the same, being raised or being lowered,
and the reassessed grade becomes the official grade for that work. The revised grade
cannot be subsequently appealed. If reassessment of the work was not done or has not
been done in keeping with this policy, the ground of the appeal is Procedural Error.

ID. COURSE MANAGEMENT ISSUES: Students who have concerns about how a course is
taught or managed should first consult with the instructor as soon as the concern arises.
However, if they feel that the matter cannot be discussed with the instructor or if the matter
cannot be resolved, students should consult with the Chair/Director.

II. ACADEMIC APPEALS - GRADE AND STANDING: Academic Appeals are reserved for
issues related to grades and academic standings that could not be resolved informally with an
instructor or a Chair/Director. Where appropriate, appeals may be filed at any time during the
term.

IIA. GROUNDS FOR APPEALS: There are four grounds that may be considered for grade and
academic standing appeals: Medical; Compassionate; Prejudice; and Procedural Error. In
addition, Course Management may also be considered as grounds for grade (but not academic
standing) appeals. With the exception of Procedural Error, no new grounds may be introduced
at subsequent levels.

IIA1. Medical
a. An appeal may be filed on Medical grounds when an unforeseen medical condition occurs
during the term that impacts a student’s ability to meet academic obligations. It is expected
that students who need an alternative arrangement for meeting academic obligations will
submit appropriate documentation for work that is missed, and will make alternate
arrangements for either a single course or for all courses in that term (see section IB on

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 Alternate Arrangements). Alternate arrangements are based upon the severity of the
circumstances and the amount of work missed.
b. Students must submit a fully completed Ryerson Medical Certificate, or a letter on
letterhead containing all of the information required by the medical certificate and signed
by an appropriate regulated health professional for the applicable period of time, with the
signed affidavit portion of the Ryerson Medical Certificate appended. The documentation
should explain the duration of the medical condition and the impact of the medical
condition on the student’s ability to perform during that period. Where circumstances do
not permit this, the student must inform the instructor as soon as reasonably possible. The
University may seek further verification of medical claims.
c. Students must submit applicable medical documents within three (3) working days of any
test, exam or assignment due date to receive consideration for that work. In extraordinary
circumstances, exceptions to the 3-day requirement to provide documentation can be
granted if the medical illness, including documented mental health issues, prevents a
student from seeking medical attention or documenting their illness in a timely fashion.

IIA2. Compassionate
a. Appeals may be filed on Compassionate grounds when there are events or circumstances
beyond the control of, and often unforeseen by, the student, which seriously impair that
student’s ability to meet academic obligations. Instructors should have been informed of
these circumstances as soon as they affected a student’s ability to complete his/her work so
that alternate arrangements could be made. Failure to have done so may jeopardize the
appeal. Alternate arrangements are based upon the severity of the circumstances and the
amount of work missed. Changes to normal employment commitments as a result of a
more complex issue may be appealed on compassionate grounds.
b. Students must submit applicable documentation within three (3) working days of a test,
exam or assignment deadline to receive consideration for that work. In extraordinary
circumstances, exceptions to the 3-day requirement to provide documentation can be
granted.

IIA3. Course Management

a. Appeals may be filed on the ground of Course Management when students believe that a
grade has been adversely affected because an instructor has deviated from the Course
Management policy of the University or from the course outline, or has demonstrated
personal bias or unfair treatment.
b. Students should have brought course management issues to the attention of the instructor
and/or the Chair/Director when the concern arose. Failure to have done so may jeopardize
the appeal.
c. Students must provide the course outline or policy reference when it is relevant to their
appeal, detail where the deviationdeviation, or personal bias or unfair treatment occurred
and explain how their academic performance was affected.

IIA4. Prejudice
a. Claims of prejudice are limited to prohibited grounds as defined by the Ontario Human
Rights Code (e.g. race, sex, sexual orientation, disability, etc.). Students who believe their
grade has been adversely affected by another form of personal bias or unfair treatment
should appeal under the ground of Course Management.

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 b. When filing an appeal on the grounds of prejudice, students must submit a copy to, and
consult with, the Human Rights Office (formerly the Discrimination and Harassment Formatted: Not Highlight
Prevention Office). That Office will do an assessment and make a recommendation to the
Chair/Director before the appeal will proceed. This may result in a delay in the appeals
process.
c. If the H u m a n R i g h t s Discrimination and Harassment Prevention Office Formatted: Not Highlight
determines that there is insufficient evidence to support a claim of prejudice on a
prohibited ground and the student wishes to proceed on the basis of personal bias or unfair
treatment, the appeal may be amended to be filed on the ground of Course Management.
d. If, during the course of any level of appeal, it is determined that there may have been
prejudice on a prohibited ground, which was not investigated by the H u ma n R i g h t s
Discrimination and Harassment Prevention Office, it will be referred to that Office and Formatted: Not Highlight
the decision will be delayed until that Office has assessed the claim and made a
recommendation.

IIA5. Procedural Error

a. Appeals may be filed on the ground of Procedural Error when it is believed that there has
been an error in the procedure followed in the application of either this policy or any
applicable policy of the University that has impacted a student’s grade or standing.
Appeals granted on this ground will rectify the procedural error.
b. Where students claim that an academic regulation or policy was improperly applied or not
followed, they must reference both the policy and the alleged error, and explain how this
procedural error has affected their academic record. This may include such things as a
failure to recalculate a grade or remark an exam, or when a response deadline has been
missed.

IIB. STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

IIB1 Burden of Proof
a. Grade Appeals: In all grade appeals it is the student’s responsibility to demonstrate that
the final grade they have received in a course should be reviewed. Students will only
receive grades which reflect their knowledge of the course material.
b. Academic Standing Appeals: In all academic standing appeals the responsibility is on
students to demonstrate that their academic standing should be changed. Since Academic
Standing is determined by students’ academic performance, students must provide
substantial reasons why their current standing is not appropriate. Students should
normally have consulted with the Chair/Director as soon as the situation that affected
their academic performance arose

IIB2. Filing an Appeal

a. Levels of Appeal
i. Department/School Level: Students who wish to file either a grade or standing appeal
based on one of the grounds in section IIA, must first appeal to their Department/School
(or The Chang School for grade appeals in continuing education (CE) courses) by the
deadline outlined in the Ryerson calendars,
a. Grade appeals must be submitted to the Department/School in which the course is
taught. Grade appeals for all CE courses are to be submitted to The Chang School, and
the appropriate Program Director will coordinate the response with the appropriate
Department/School.
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b. Standing appeals are submitted to the student’s program Department/School.

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 ii. Faculty Level: Students who wish to appeal the decision of the Department/ School must
do so to the Dean within ten (10) working days of the date of the decision letter from the
Department/School. Students must indicate in their letter where they disagree with the
Department/School decision.
iii. Senate Level: Students who wish to appeal the decision of the Faculty must do so to the
Senate within the (10) working days of the date of the decision letter from the Faculty.
Students must indicate in their letter where they disagree with the Faculty decision.

b. General Regulations
i. Students must use the appeals forms available on the Senate website, and must retain a
copy for their records for submission at any subsequent appeal.
ii. Incomplete or late appeals will normally not be accepted.
iii. Appeals must be filed in person unless prior arrangements are made to submit it via fax,
mail or email. If the appeal is incomplete, it is not accepted. If fax, mail or email
submissions are accepted, original documents must be submitted in person by the student
by a date to be determined based upon the circumstances.
iv. INC grades must be appealed within ten (10) working days of the posting of the new
grade. Students are responsible for periodically checking for the posting of their grades.
v. If a student appeals only an academic standing, it will be assumed that the grade(s) upon
which the academic standing was based have been accepted.
vi. The program Department/School is not required to consider an appeal of an academic
standing if the grade appeal was denied and it was the sole basis of the standing appeal or
if the grade appeal was granted and the standing is automatically changed as a result.

c. Advocates and Legal Counsel

i. Students may consult with an advocate at any time during the appeals process. An
advocate may represent a student at any hearing that may occur at the
Department/School, Faculty or Senate level. Advocates may speak on behalf of the
student.
ii. Legal Counsel is permitted to represent students or the University Respondent only at
the Senate level of appeal.

d. Ombudsperson: Students may consult with the Ombudsperson regarding issues of

fairness at any time during the appeals process.

IIC. Decision Maker Responsibility

IIC1. Responding to Appeals
a. Department/School: Each Department/School must determine who shall respond to
student appeals. The Chair/Director (or designate or committee) may consider appeals at
the Department/School level. For continuing education courses the CE Program Director
shall act as Chair/Director in appeals which concern procedural issues, and shall refer all
other appeals to the appropriate academic coordinator.

b. Faculty: Each Faculty must determine who shall respond to student appeals. The Dean
(or designate or committee) may consider appeals at the Faculty level.

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 c. Continuing Education: In cases involving continuing education courses that are not
housed in a specific Faculty, the Dean of The Chang School of Continuing Education (or
designate or committee) shall consider the appeal.

d. Senate: The Senate Appeals Committee shall form panels to hear appeals at the Senate
level.
IIC2. General Regulations
a. No academic appeal may result in the granting of a numerical grade.

b. If a student initiates more than one academic appeal, the decision maker at any level may
determine if the appeals should be heard concurrently or sequentially. Grade appeals are
considered before standing appeals.

c. If an appeal of a charge of academic misconduct is related to a concurrent grade or

academic standing appeal, the misconduct appeal will be heard first, and the decision, if
relevant, forwarded to the appropriate department/school. As per the Student Code of
Academic Conduct, a grade of “DEF” may be assigned while a misconduct charge is
under investigation.

d. The Registrar must approve any recommendation by the Chair/Director or Dean to either
allow a student to take a course that has been failed more than three times (or fewer as per
a Department/School standing variation) or to grant a student a retroactive course
withdrawal without academic penalty and any associated financial arrangements.

e. All correspondence with students (setting of hearing dates, decision letters, etc.) will be
done via Ryerson email. The only exception will be the distribution of the appeals package
for Senate appeals. Students shall receive their packages either in person or via courier,
normally within five (5) working days of the hearing.

f. Appeals decisions are normally sent to students within five (5) working days of the receipt
(or the hearing) of the appeal, unless the student is notified of extenuating circumstances
which require an extension of that deadline.

g. Current information on who is responsible for responding to appeals in each Department,

School and Faculty must be provided to students in a Department/School handbook and to
the Secretary of Senate. Members of any appeals committee shall have terms from July 1
to June 30 of the following year.

h. All individuals who have responsibility for deciding appeals, including Chairs/Directors,
Deans, or designates, and all Appeals Officers shall be required to attend training
session(s) conducted by the Office of the Secretary of Senate prior to making any appeals
decision.

i. Anyone who chairs an appeals committee at any level may not serve on an appeals
committee at any other level.

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IIC3. Dismissal of Appeals:
a. Department/School: The Department/School may dismiss (not accept) an appeal only
when the appeal is submitted past the deadline or is incomplete.

b. Faculty: In some circumstances where the Dean or designate believes that the grounds
have not been met, or that the student has not indicated where the error was in the previous
decisions, the Dean or designate will give the student notice of intent to dismiss (not
accept) the appeal. The student is given the opportunity to respond in writing to the intent
to dismiss within five (5) working days of receipt of the notice. A panel of the Senate
Appeals Committee will be convened to determine if the appeal should be heard or if the
recommendation to dismiss the appeal should be upheld.

c. Senate: In some circumstances where the Secretary of Senate believes that the grounds
have not been met, or that the student has not indicated where the error was in the previous
decisions, the Secretary will give the student notice of intent to dismiss (not accept) the
appeal. The student is given the opportunity to respond in writing to the intent to dismiss
within five (5) working days of receipt of the notice. A panel of the Senate Appeals
Committee will be convened to determine if the appeal should be heard or if the
recommendation to dismiss the appeal should be upheld.

IIC4. Conflict of Interest: No member of an Appeals Panel should have had any prior involvement
with the case. A member of a Hearing Panel, a student or an instructor (appellant and
respondent) must disclose any conflict of interest, if known, as soon as possible before the
Hearing. If either party raises a conflict of interest regarding any Panel member(s) once the
Hearing has begun, the Hearing Panel will judge the validity of the conflict and will decide
on whether the Panel member may sit on the appeal. If the Panel member with the conflict is
excused and there is no quorum, the Hearing may continue if agreed upon by all parties or
will be adjourned and a new hearing scheduled with a new Panel member.

IIC5. Standard of Proof: In an academic appeal it is the student’s responsibility to show that the
original decision was incorrect. The standard of proof in all decisions shall be “a balance of
probabilities”. This means that, in order for students to be granted their appeals, they must
show the Panel that it is more likely than not that the original decision was incorrect.

IID. Senate Appeal Hearings

IID1. Senate Appeals Committee and Panels: The Senate Appeals Committee is established by
the Senate. The Secretary of Senate shall establish hearing panels consisting of at least three
members of the Senate Appeals Committee, including at least one student.

IID2. Notice of Hearing: Both parties must be given ten (10) working days notice of an appeal
hearing date and time. An appeal may be scheduled with less than ten (10) days notice with
the written agreement of both parties. Documentation will be distributed to all parties,
normally within five (5) working days of the hearing.

IID3. Hearing Regulations

a. Representation/Support
i. Students may be represented by an advocate or legal counsel who may speak for the
student and confer with the student as necessary.
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 ii. Students may have a support person in the hearing, but this person may not participate in
any way. Students may also bring witnesses, but these must be declared in advance on
the appeal form.
iii. The University may retain legal counsel who may speak for the respondent and confer
with the respondent as necessary.

b. Procedural Decisions by the Panel

i. The Panel Chair may adjourn the Hearing when it is required for a fair process.
ii. If either the appellant or the respondent fails to attend the Hearing, and there are no
extenuating circumstances, the Hearing may proceed in his or her absence. Hearings
will not be postponed if a witness, advocate or counsel fails to appear.
iii. A Hearing is open to the public except when the appellant, respondent or a Panel
member requests that the hearing be closed. Members of the public may not participate
in, or in any way disrupt, the hearing. Any member of the public, or the support person,
may be removed from the hearing by the Panel.
iv. All witnesses called by either side should be present at the start of the Hearing to be
introduced, and then, unless the Panel decides otherwise, only while giving testimony.
If the hearing remains open, witnesses may return after all witnesses have presented
their testimony.
v. If either party brings witnesses not listed in the appeal form or the Notice of Hearing,
the Panel must decide if those witnesses are to be heard.
vi. If new documentation is presented the panel must determine if that documentation is to
be considered. If there is no objection from the other party, the documentation should
be accepted. The hearing may be adjourned to allow the other party time to review the
new documents. The Panel may determine that the documentation is not relevant and is
not to be accepted.
c. The Hearing may not be audio or video recorded by anyone, and no minutes of the
proceedings are taken. The decision letter is considered the official record of the
proceedings.

d. The Secretary of Senate or designate may be present at the Hearing for the purpose of
providing advice on procedural issues.

e. All Senate hearings will be conducted in a manner consistent with the Statutory Powers
Procedure Act (SPPA). A copy of the SPPA is available for review in the Senate Office.

IID4. Decisions: Decisions of the Senate Appeals Committee are final and may not be appealed.

IID5. Record keeping

a. Statistics on the type, grounds and outcome of appeals must be reported to the Secretary
of Senate at the end of each term.

b. The complete original copy of the appeal documents shall be retained and held in
confidence by the Senate Office and the Registrar shall confidentially retain a copy of
the decision letter. All other copies of the appeals documents are to be shredded.

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 ACADEMIC CONSIDERATION AND APPEALS PROCEDURES Formatted: Centered, Indent: Left: 0", First
line: 0"
P-I. Academic Consideration
P-IA. General Regulations
1. Students should normally notify and consult with their instructor when they require
academic consideration for circumstances that arise during the semester that impact their
ability to meet academic obligations. If the circumstance affects all of their course work, or
if they believe that they cannot discuss the matter with their instructor, they should consult
their Chair/Director or designate.
2. Students, instructors, Chairs/Directors should make every effort to resolve issues related to
student requests for academic consideration informally whenever possible.
a. Requests for academic consideration should be made via email where possible, but
can be made in person or over the phone if necessary, and confirmed by email.
b. Instructors will respond to requests for academic consideration via email where
possible, and in person or via phone if necessary and confirmed by email.
c. If an instructor has not responded to a specific request for academic consideration
within 5 working days a student should email the Chair/Director to discuss the
situation.

P-IB. Alternate Arrangements

P-IB1. For a Conflict between a Religious, Aboriginal or Spiritual Observance and an
Examination, Test, or Assignment Due Date
a. To request an alternate arrangement for work that must be missed because of a conflict with
a religious, aboriginal or spiritual observance, students must consult Senate Policy 150:
Accommodation of Student Religious, Aboriginal and Spiritual Observance found at
www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/pol150.pdf and use the form found at
www.ryerson.ca/senate/forms/relobservforminstr.pdf
i. Normally no later than 2 weeks prior to the conflict in question; or
ii. for final exams, within 2 weeks of the posting of the final exam schedule.
b. Students and instructors must negotiate and agree upon appropriate accommodations for
such observances.
c. If students and instructors cannot agree on an appropriate accommodation, then it is the
responsibility of the student to contact the Chair/Director to discuss the matter.

P-IB2. For Accommodation of a Disability

a. To receive an accommodation for a disability, students must first register with the Ryerson
University’s Academic Accommodation Support (formerly the Access Centre).
b. Academic Accommodation Support The Access Centre will assess students’ requests, and
where appropriate, provide students the appropriate documentation to present to each
instructor outlining the nature of accommodations required for each course.
c. Students must present Ac a d e mi c Ac c o m mo d a t i o n S u p p o r t Access Centre Formatted: Left
documentation as early as possible prior to a graded assignment, test or exam. Refer to the
Academic Accommodation Support website for the procedures and timelines for booking a
test or exam (http://www.ryerson.ca/studentlearningsupport/academic-accommodation- Formatted: Not Highlight

support/index.html). Documentation submitted after the work, test or exam will not be Field Code Changed
accepted. See www.ryerson.ca/studentservices/accesscentre/index.html for details. Note that Formatted: Not Highlight
if an exam is to be taken in the Access Centre, it must be booked at least 7 days in advance.
Formatted: Not Highlight
d. Detailed instructions on appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities and the
Formatted: Not Highlight
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
Someone in a Department/School of Faculty may be designated to work with students in appeals and to be the decision
maker for that unit. The terms Chair/Director and Dean will include such a designate throughout these procedures.

- 15 -
 related procedures are found in Policy 159: Academic Accommodations of Students with
Disabilities at www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/pol150.pdf.

P-IB3. For Missed Assignment, Test and/or Examination for Medical and Compassionate
Reasons (See Policy 145: Undergraduate Course Management Policy, section 2.2)
a. Student Responsibility
i. Students must contact their instructor via email in advance when they will be
missing an examination and/or assignment or test for medical or compassionate
reasons.
ii. When circumstances do not permit advance notice, students must contact the
instructor via email as soon as reasonably possible.
iii. Students are advised, whenever possible, to document all consultations and/or
attempts at consultation with the instructor, including email correspondence,
phone conversations, office hour visits and other appointments. Written
correspondence is preferable.
iv. Students must submit appropriate documentation, based upon instructor
requirements, within three (3) working days of the missed assignment, test or
exam. In extraordinary circumstances, exceptions to the 3-day requirement to
provide documentation can be granted if the medical illness, including
documented mental health issues, prevents a student from seeking medical
attention or documenting his/her illness in a timely fashion.
a. Medical documentation: Students must submit a fully completed Ryerson
Medical Certificate, or a letter on letterhead containing all of the
information required by the medical certificate and signed by an appropriate
regulated health professional for the applicable period of time. The portion of
the Ryerson Medical Certificate containing the student signature must be
attached. The documentation should explain the duration of the medical
condition and the impact of the medical condition on the student’s ability to
perform during that period. Where circumstances do not permit this, the
student must inform the instructor as soon as reasonably possible. The
University may seek further verification of medical claims.
b. Compassionate documentation: While it is recognized that compassionate
grounds may sometimes be hard to document, items such as relevant travel
documents, death certificates or notices from a funeral home, letters from
counsellors, therapists, or religious or community leaders would be
appropriate documentation. It is advisable that students provide relevant and
appropriate documentation when possible.
c. Documentation containing personal information of others: Any
documentation which contains the personal information (e.g. medical
documents) of someone other than the student must be accompanied by a
letter from that individual allowing the information to be used. If not, the
documents will not be distributed with the appeal.
v. If students do not receive a response from the instructor within 5 working days
concerning alternate arrangements for the missed work, the student is responsible
for consulting with the Chair/Director via e-mail.
vi. Students who are not offered or do not accept alternate arrangements offered by
the instructor may consult with the Chair/Director.

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 vii. If consultation with the Chair/Director does not result in an acceptable alternate
arrangement, students must document their concerns via email, stating why they
do not accept the alternate arrangements. Students will be asked to abide by
alternate arrangements to the extent possible once the Chair/Director has
intervened, but can appeal the final course grade if the test or assignment for
which the alternate arrangement was given becomes a point of contention for the
final course grade. Once the documentation has been approved, if an arrangement
cannot be made for a make-up for a missed final exam, the student can request an
incomplete (INC) grade. A form must be filed by the instructor indicating the
date by which the work must be completed, which must be within three months.
viii. It is the students’ responsibility to follow up with the instructor to ensure
completion of an INC within the required three month time frame. If the INC is
not completed, it will become a grade of “F”.
ix. If students encounter problems making arrangements for completing an INC they
must contact the Chair/Director.
b. Instructor Responsibility
i. After receiving a request for an alternate arrangement, instructors will assess the
merit of the request based on medical and compassionate grounds and respond to
the student within five (5) working days.
ii. Instructors must retain all correspondence and document meetings with students,
with respect to requested and agreed upon considerations and arrangements.
iii. If instructors require medical or compassionate documentation, it must be
presented within three (3) working days of the missed work. In extraordinary
circumstances, exceptions to the 3 day requirement to provide documentation can
be granted if the medical illness, including documented mental health issues,
prevents a student from seeking medical attention or documenting their illness in a
timely fashion. If the instructor wishes to validate the document they must have
the Chair/Director call the appropriate office. It may only be confirmed that the
documentation is valid. A health professional cannot be asked about the nature of
the student’s medical condition.
iv. Acceptable alternate arrangements may include setting a make-up test,
transferring the weight of the missed work to the final examination (as per Policy
145: Course Management Policy at www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/pol145.pdf)
or extending a deadline. All considerations must be documented via email.
v. If a student requests an INC, once documentation has been validated for
outstanding work, the instructor must fill out the appropriate form, retain a copy,
submit a copy to the Registrar and provide a copy to the student.
vi. It is the responsibility of the instructor to provide a make-up final exam for INC
grades within three months of giving the INC.
c. Chair/Director Responsibility
i. A Chair/Director may need to respond or intervene in cases where the instructor
has not responded to the student’s request, the student does not feel comfortable
with approaching the instructor, or the student disagrees with the alternate
arrangement and would like further consultation.
ii. Once a consultation has been completed the Chair/Director may recommend
alternate arrangements to the instructor.
iii. The Chair/Director may be contacted by students who are unable, for verifiable
reasons, to complete an incomplete (INC) grades in the three-month period. In
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 these cases it is the responsibility of the Chair/Director to facilitate an appropriate
resolution.

P-IB4. For Inability to Complete Term Work in More Than One Course
a. Student Responsibility
i. It is students’ responsibility to contact the Chair/Director of their program,
preferably via email, when circumstances arise during the semester that prevent
them from completing their work in more than one course.
ii. Students are advised to document, via email, all arrangements agreed to with the
instructor.
iii. Once the student has consulted with the Chair/Director, the Chair/Director will
contact each faculty member via email outlining the proposed alternate
arrangements. It is then the responsibility of the student to get the approval of the
alternate arrangements from each instructor, unless the Chair/Director determines
that the circumstances do not allow this. In this case, the Chair/Director will
assume the responsibility for coordinating with instructors.
iv. If an instructor does not agree with the proposed alternate arrangements, it is the
responsibility of the student to consult with the instructor and the Chair/Director
to discuss alternatives.
b. Instructor Responsibility
i. Instructors who receive suggested alternate arrangements from the Chair/Director
regarding a student should contact the Chair/Director if they require further
information on the matter or wish to discuss the recommended alternate
arrangements.
c. Chair/Director Responsibility
i. It is the responsibility of the Chair/Directors to request supporting documentation
outlining the student’s request for alternate arrangements in more than one term
course.
ii. The Chair/Director should advise students as to what to do on a course-by-course
basis as soon as possible, and document the recommendations in writing via
email.
iii. Potential alternate arrangements may include offering the student the option of
completing the work in some courses, dropping some courses, requesting
extensions of deadlines or assigning grades of INC. A Chair/Director may also
facilitate leaves of absence from the program if the circumstances prevent the
student from continuing in the program.
iv. It is the responsibility of the Chair/Director to send an email to each instructor
outlining the proposed alternate arrangements for the student.
v. Courses may be dropped by the Chair/Director, but the Chair/Director should
inform the student that it is advisable to speak to the instructor before dropping
any course.
vi. The Chair/Director may recommend to the Registrar that a student be permitted
to drop one or more courses after the drop deadline depending on the
circumstances. It is the responsibility of the Chair/Director to contact the
Registrar and provide appropriate documentation as to why this recommendation
is being made. The Registrar will determine if a retroactive drop will be granted.
vii. The Chair/Director must ensure that copies of suggested alternate arrangements
be kept on record in the Department/School.
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 d. Registrar Responsibility
The Registrar will review documentation and contact the Chair/Director should any
clarification be required as to why a student should be granted a INC or course drop after
the deadline. The Registrar has final approval of both retroactive course withdrawal
without academic penalty and any possible financial arrangements that may result.

P-IB5. Advance Request for Consideration of Academic Standing: It is the students’

responsibility to contact the Chair/Director when circumstances arise that may later affect their
academic standing on medical or compassionate grounds.

P-IC. Grade Reassessment

P-IC1. Regrading or Recalculation by the Instructor
a. Student Responsibility
i. Students who believe that an assignment, test or exam, either in whole or part,
has not been appropriately graded or that there has been a miscalculation must
first review their concerns with their instructor, or Chair/Director if they feel the
matter cannot be discussed with the instructor, within ten (10) working days after
the graded work is returned to the class.
ii. Students can request a reassessment of work either verbally or via email.
Students are encouraged to follow up on verbal discussions with emails. Failure
to properly document such discussions may jeopardize any future appeal.
iii. If requested, students may be required to submit a written rationale to the
instructor outlining where there has been an error in the grading of the work, with
documentation from notes, the text, the course outline, etc. Requests that are not
based on the merit of the work will not be considered.
iv. If the instructor does not respond to the request for a regrade or recalculation, or
if the student disagrees with the result, the student may file a request for a formal
regrade with the Chair/Director (see Section P-IC2).
b. Instructors Responsibility
i. It is the responsibility of the instructor to return graded work in a timely manner,
normally within 2 weeks.
ii. It is the responsibility of the instructor to respond to requests for regrading or
recalculation of work within five (5) working days of the student’s request,
assuming that the student has met the ten (10) working day deadline for filing
that request.
iii. Instructors can request that students submit a written rationale for regrading the
work including where the grading of the work has been in error, with
documentation from notes, the text, the course outline, etc.
iv. Instructors should inform students that the regrading of work may result in a
grade which is higher, lower or the same as the original grade.
c. Chair/Director Responsibility
i. It is the responsibility of the Chair/Director to assist in resolving disputes over
grade reassessments when the student asks for assistance.

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P-IC2. Formal Regrading of Work by Someone Other Than the Instructor
a. Student Responsibility
i. Students must submit reasons, in writing to the Chair/Director, as to why the
original grade, and if applicable, the instructor’s revised grade, was
inappropriate, based on evidence from the course outline, course notes,
textbooks, etc. The submission to the Chair/Director must be within 10 working
days of the discussion with, or regrading by, the instructor.
ii. It is the student’s responsibility to show why the work deserves more marks.
That the student disagrees with the mark, or wishes to have a higher mark, is not
sufficient support for the reassessment. The Chair/Director may deny the request
for a regrading only if the rationale is not based upon the merit of the work.
iii. Either the student or the instructor (whoever has the work) must provide the
original graded work in question, to the Chair/Director.
iv. An ungraded copy of the work, identical to the originally submitted work, with
all grading notations and all student identifiers deleted must be provided to the
Chair/Director. If it is a paper or assignment, or a test that has been returned to
the student, the student must supply the copy.
v. If students request a partial regrading the Chair/Director will determine if a
partial regrading is appropriate.
b. Instructor Responsibility
i. It is the responsibility of the instructor to provide the Chair/Director the grading
scheme utilized in evaluating the work.
ii. Either the student or the instructor must provide the original graded assignment,
test, or exam in question, to the Chair/Director.
iii. An ungraded copy of the work, with all grading notations and all student
identifiers deleted must be provided to the Chair/Director. If it is an exam that
has not been returned to the student, the instructor must supply the copy.
c. Chair/Director Responsibility
i. It is the responsibility of the Chair/Director to facilitate a process by which the
work will be remarked by a qualified person who will not consult with the
original instructor.
ii. The Chair/Director may determine if it is more appropriate to remark the entire
assignment or portions in addition to those specified by the student.
iii. If a partial remarking was requested, the student must be notified in writing by
the Chair/Director of the decision to remark other portions prior to the
remarking, with an explanation of why the structure of the work warrants such a
decision. In this case, the student may decide to rescind his or her request for
regrading.
iv. The regrader must receive the grading scheme and an ungraded copy of the
work, identical to the originally submitted work, to be regraded with all
identifiers removed.
v. Neither the instructor nor the student will be informed of the identity of the
regrader.
vi. On a case by case basis, the Chair/Director will determine if the regraded work is
to be returned to the student.
vii. If remarking within the university is not possible, another mechanism for
reassessment of the material should be arranged. This may include submission to
an external assessor.
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 viii. A regrading may result in the grade remaining the same, being raised or being
lowered, and the reassessed grade becomes the official grade for that work. This
grade may not subsequently be appealed, unless the student identifies a
procedural error in the regrading process.

P-ID. Course Management Issues

P-ID1. It is students’ responsibility to bring all Course Management issues to the attention of the
instructor, or the Chair/Director if they feel the issue can not be discussed with the
instructor, as soon as the issue arises. Appeals based on Course Management may be filed at
any time during the semester.
P-ID2. It is the responsibility of the instructor to ensure that Policy 145:the Course Management
Policy (www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/pol145.pdf) is followed.

P-II. Academic Appeals – Where possible, informal resolution should be attempted before a
formal appeal is filed.

P-IIA. Grounds for appeal: The grounds for a grade or standing appeal are medical,
compassionate, course management, prejudice or procedural error as defined in the Policy
section IIC. Before filing an appeal, a student must determine if one or more of the grounds
apply. Grade reassessment or recalculation are not grounds for an appeal. (See section P-
IC2.)

P- IIB. Department/School Level

Appeals P-IIB1. Student Responsibility
a. All appeals at the Department/School level must be filed by the deadline stated in the
Ryerson Calendars using the forms (and instructions), available on the Senate
(www.ryerson.ca/senate) and Enrollment Services and Student Records websites, or from
Departments/Schools. Unless other arrangements have been made in advance, appeals
must be submitted in person. If fax, mail or email submissions are accepted, original
documents must be submitted in person by the student by a date to be determined based
upon the circumstances. If the submission is incomplete, it will not be processed. All
documents to be presented as evidence must be attached to the appeal.
b. If students are appealing their final course grades, they must appeal to the
Department/School in which the course was taught. If they are appealing their academic
standing, they must appeal to their program Department/School. If they are appealing a
grade in a continuing education class, they must submit their appeal to The Chang School
information desk, which will forward the appeal to the appropriate Program Director.
c. Students who have attempted to have work reassessed or grades recalculated and have not
had the matter resolved prior to the appeal deadline, or who have not yet received a
response from an instructor or a Chair/Director, may submit a formal appeal by the
deadline on the grounds of procedural error by the deadline. This appeal may be
withdrawn at a later date if the issue is resolved.
d. Students who wish to appeal a final course grade must first consult with the instructor
and/or Chair/Director. Students appealing an academic standing must first consult the
Chair/Director. This consultation must occur as soon as possible after their grades and/or
notice of academic standing are posted, allowing enough time to meet the deadline for the
last date to appeal.

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 e. Students who do not receive either a decision, or a letter explaining why the decision is
delayed, within five (5) working days of submission of an appeal should consult with the
Dean. In exceptional circumstances, decision delays, usually because an instructor is not
available for immediate consultation, should normally be no more than five (5) working
days.
f. Students may consult with a student advocate, e.g from RSU or CESAR, for advice on
their appeal.
g. Students may consult with the Ombudsperson regarding issues of fairness at any time
during the appeals process.
h. If there is both a grade appeal and a standing appeal, students must inform their program
Department/School of the grade appeal at the time the standing appeal is filed. The
standing appeal will not be considered until a decision on the grade appeal is received.
i. Appeals of final grades submitted as a result of completing an INC grade must be filed
within ten (10) working days of the posting of the new grade. Students are responsible
for periodically checking for the posting of the grade. Appeals deadlines may be
extended for grades not posted in a timely manner.
j. Students must retain a copy of all appeals documents as it is not the responsibility of the
Department/School to provide these documents should the student wish to file a further
appeal.

P- IIB2. Chair/Director Responsibility

a. Where possible, Chairs/Directors should attempt to resolve matters informally before a
formal appeal is filed.
b. Appeals must be submitted in person. However, if there are extenuating circumstances,
the Chair/Director may agree to accept the appeal via fax, mail or email. If fax, mail or
email submissions are accepted, original documents must be submitted in person by the
student by a date to be determined based upon the circumstances. The Chair/Director may
also agree to accept an appeal after the deadline if there are extenuating circumstances,
but is not required to process late appeals. The Chair/Director will ensure that the appeal
is complete before it is processed.
c. If a student has initiated more than one appeal, the Chair/Director shall determine
whether the various appeals should be considered concurrently or sequentially.
d. If there is a grade appeal for a course not within the student’s Department/School, the
program Department/School must receive the decision on the grade appeal before a
standing appeal can be considered. If both appeals are to the same Department/School,
the appeals may be considered at the same time.
e. If a grade appeal is delayed because there is an unresolved reassessment or recalculation,
the related standing appeal may also be delayed.
f. If an appeal of a charge of academic misconduct is related to a concurrent grade or
academic standing appeal, the misconduct appeal will be heard first, and the decision, if
relevant, forwarded to the appropriate Department/School. As per Policy 60: Academic
Integritythe Student Code of Academic Conduct, a grade of “DEF” may be assigned
while a misconduct charge is under investigation.
g. The program Chair/Director is not required to consider an appeal of an academic standing
if the grade appeal was denied and it was the sole basis of the standing appeal or if the
grade appeal was granted and the standing is automatically changed as a result.
h. The Department/School must respond to the student in writing within five (5) working
days of the receipt of the appeal whether the appeal was granted or denied (see P-IIA3).
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 i. If the Chair/Director is unable to respond to a student within the five (5) working days
because s/he is unable to get necessary information, the student must be notified of when
they are to expect a decision. In exceptional circumstances, decision delays, usually
because an instructor is not available for immediate consultation, should normally be no
more than five (5) working days. The student may consult with the Dean if there is no
communication regarding a delay, or if the delay is more than five (5) working days.
j. Decisions:
i. The Chair/Director may not award a numerical grade, or require any action contrary
to a university policy or collective agreement.
ii. The Chair/Director may
a. deny the appeal
b. grant the appeal
c. grant or deny the appeal in part subject to conditions. If the student does not
accept the conditions attached, the appeal will be considered denied.
iii. The Registrar must approve any recommendation by the Chair/Director to either
allow a student to take a course that has been failed more than three times (or fewer
as per a Department/School standing variation), or to grant a student a retroactive
course withdrawal.
iv. The Chair/Director must send the decision letter, following the format provided by
the Senate Office, to the student via Ryerson email. A copy must be sent to the
student’s program department (if different), the Associate Registrar, Enrolment
Services, and Senate. The decision will be deemed received on the date sent.
v. Students are responsible for contacting the Department/School if they have not
received a response in the specified period of time.

P- IIC. Faculty Level Appeals

P- IIC1. Student Responsibility
a. Appeals must be filed within ten (10) working days of receipt of the decision at the
Department/School level and must be complete. Incomplete and/or late appeals will not
be processed. Forms and instructions found on the Senate and Registration and Records
websites, or from the Dean’s office, must be utilized.
b. Students may consult with and be represented by an advocate such as a student advocate
from RSU or CESAR.
c. Students may consult with the Ombudsperson regarding issues of fairness.
d. Except for Procedural Error and extraordinary circumstances involving medical illness,
including documented mental health issues, no new grounds may be introduced.
e. Grade Appeals are filed with the Faculty in which the course is taught and Standing
Appeals are filed with the student’s program Faculty. Grade appeals for continuing
education courses must be filed with the Dean of the Faculty which has responsibility for
that course. If the course is not tied to a specific Faculty, it is to be filed with the Dean of
The Chang School.
f. Unless other arrangements have been made in advance, appeals must be submitted in
person. If fax, mail or email submissions are accepted, original documents must be
submitted in person by the student by a date to be determined based upon the
circumstances.
g. All documents to be presented as evidence must be attached to the appeal. This includes
all documentation from the previous level of appeal. Failure to provide all documentation
previously submitted, or the alteration of documentation previously submitted may result
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 in a charge of academic misconduct. It must also include a letter stating where the
decision of the Chair/Director is disputed. If it does not, the Dean may dismiss the appeal
(see procedures on Dismissal).
h. Students who do not receive either a decision, or a letter explaining why the decision is
delayed, within five (5) working days of submission of an appeal should consult with the
Secretary of Senate. In exceptional circumstances, decision delays, usually because an
instructor is not available for immediate consultation, should normally be no more than
five (5) working days. The student may consult with the Secretary of Senate if there is no
communication regarding a delay, or if the delay is more than five (5) working days.
i. If a student does not proceed within the timeline stipulated, the appeal will be considered
terminated. Required to Withdraw/Permanently Withdrawn students will be removed
from their courses once the time for the appeal has expired without an appeal being
launched.
j. Students must retain a copy of all appeals documents as it is not the responsibility of the
Dean to provide these documents should the student wish to file a further appeal.

P- IIC2 Dean Responsibility

a. Appeals not submitted within ten (10) working days of the date of the decision letter from
the Chair/Director will normally not be processed. The Dean, designate, or appeals
committee will not process incomplete appeals. Documentation must include all
documents submitted to the Department/School and the decision letter. It must also
include a letter from the student indicating where the decision of the Chair/Director is in
error. If it does not, the Dean may dismiss the appeal (see procedures on Dismissal).
b. Unless other arrangements have been made in advance, appeals must be submitted in
person. However, if there are extenuating circumstances, the Dean may agree to accept
the appeal via fax, mail or email. If fax, mail or email submissions are accepted, original
documents must be submitted in person by the student by a date to be determined based
upon the circumstances. If the appeal is not complete it will not be processed. The Dean
may also agree to accept an appeal after the deadline if there are extenuating
circumstances.
c. In some situations appeals may be dismissed (not accepted) at this level (see Dismissal
Procedures).
d. The Dean must respond to the student in writing within five (5) working days of the
receipt of the appeal. If the Dean is unable to respond to a student within the five (5)
working days because s/he is unable to get necessary information, the student must
be notified of when they are to expect a decision. In exceptional circumstances,
decision delays, usually because an instructor is not available for immediate
consultation, should normally be no more than five (5) working days. The student
may consult with the Dean if there is no communication regarding a delay, or if the
delay is more than five (5) working days.
e. Decisions:
i. The Dean may not award a numerical grade, or require any action contrary to a
university policy or collective agreement.
ii. The Dean may
a. deny the appeal
b. grant the appeal
c. grant or deny the appeal in part subject to conditions. If the student does not
accept the conditions attached, the appeal will be considered denied.
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 iii. The Registrar must approve any recommendation by the Dean to either allow a
student to take a course that has been failed more than three times (or fewer as per a
Department/School standing variation), or to grant a student a retroactive course
withdrawal.
iv. The Dean must send the student a copy of the decision letter, following the format
provided by the Senate Office, to the student via Ryerson email. A copy must be sent
to the student’s program department/school and teaching Department/School (if
different), the Associate Registrar, Enrolment Services, and Senate. The decision will
be deemed received on the date sent.
v. Students are responsible for contacting the Dean’s office if they have not received a
response in the specified time period.
P- IID. Appeals to the Senate Appeals
Committee P-IID1. Student Responsibility
a. Students must submit an appeal to the Secretary of Senate within ten (10) working days
of receipt of the Faculty Level response. Forms and instructions for the filing of Appeals
can be found at the Registration and Records or Senate websites, or are available from the
office of the Secretary of Senate. Unless other arrangements have been made in advance,
appeals must be submitted in person. However, if there are extenuating circumstances,
the Secretary of Senate may agree to accept the appeal via fax, mail or email. If fax, mail
or email submissions are accepted, original documents must be submitted in person by
the student by a date to be determined based upon the circumstances. If the appeal is not
complete, it will not be processed. The Secretary of Senate may accept an appeal after the
deadline if there are extenuating circumstances.
b. The student’s appeal must include all of the documents submitted at all previous levels,
all decision letters, all evidence, and a letter to the Senate Appeals Committee that clearly
outlines where the decision made by the Dean and Chair/Director are in dispute. Failure
to provide this letter may result in the appeal being dismissed (see Section P-III). Failure
to provide all documentation previously submitted, or the alteration of documentation
previously submitted may result in a charge of academic misconduct.
c. The student may consult with an advocate, e.g. from RSU or CESAR, who may represent
them in the hearing. The student may also consult with a lawyer, who may represent them
at the Senate level. Any advocate or legal counsel must be indicated on the appeal form,
and there can only be one advocate or legal counsel.
d. Students must indicate on the form if they are bringing any witnesses.
e. Students must retain a copy of all appeals documents.
f. Students must reply to all email inquiries as to their availability for a hearing, which will
be scheduled as soon as possible. Students are normally given (10) working days notice
of the hearing date, but the appeal may be heard sooner if both parties agree in writing.
g. It is in students’ best interest to attend the hearing. Unless there are extenuating
circumstances, the hearing will proceed if the student does not attend.

P- IID2. Chair/Director Responsibility

a. The Chair/Director serves as the respondent in the Hearing. In grade appeals, the
instructor for the course is also encouraged to attend, and where not possible, the
Chair/Director must be provided all of the relevant materials. Often only the instructor is
able to answer the Hearing Panel’s questions. The instructor may be present throughout
the hearing and may answer questions at any time during the hearing.

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 b. The Chair/Director (or other respondent) shall reply to the appeal in writing to the
Secretary of Senate within five (5) working days of receipt, including any documents to
be submitted as evidence. A copy of the relevant course outline(s) must be submitted for
all grade appeals and where possible, student’s grades in each component of the course.
The Registrar must also receive a copy of the appeal.
c. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, the hearing may proceed if the respondent or
instructor does not attend.

P- IID3. Secretary of Senate Responsibility

a. The Secretary will review the appeal to determine if it is complete and is within the
deadline.
b. In some situations, the Secretary will give the student notice of dismissal (non-
acceptance) of the appeal (see section III).
c. The Secretary will immediately forward the appeal to the Chair/Director and determine in
consultation with the Chair/Director, who shall be the respondent and, based on the
nature of the issue, if others should be called as witness or co-respondents.
d. The Secretary will establish a Hearing Panel of the Senate Appeals Committee, consisting
of at least two (2) faculty and one (1) student, and appoint a Hearing Panel Chair
e. The Secretary will determine if the student’s academic record is pertinent to the appeal,
and if so, provide it in the complete appeals package.
f. The Secretary will schedule a hearing based upon the availability of the student and the
instructor or Chair/Director. Both parties must receive at least ten (10) working days
notice of the date, time and place of the hearing. An appeal may be scheduled with less
than ten (10) working days notice with the written agreement of both parties.
g. The Secretary will forward all of the appeal submissions, including a Notice of Hearing,
to: all members of the Hearing Panel; the Chair/Director and any instructors who will be
attending the hearing; the Registrar; the student; and the student’s advocate, if any.
Students must receive appeals information related to their Hearing from the Secretary of
Senate either in person by prior arrangement or by courier, normally five (5) working
days in advance of the Hearing. It will be deemed that the information has been received
on the date it was picked up or couriered.

P- IID4. Appeal Panel Decisions

a. The Hearing Panel may not award a numerical grade, or require any action contrary to
another university policy or collective agreement.
b. The Hearing Panel may
i. deny the appeal.
ii. grant the appeal
iii. grant or deny the appeal in part subject to conditions If the student does not accept
the conditions attached, the appeal will be considered as denied.
c. Students who are appealing their academic standing may be registered in courses during
their appeal and are normally dropped from their courses if their appeal is denied.
However, if the student has either completed or nearly completed these courses at the
time of the decision, and if the reason for the timeframe for the Senate decision is a
procedural matter under control of the university, the Hearing Panel may determine that
the grades for that semester should not be removed.
d. The letter to the student, outlining the decision of the Hearing Panel clearly stating the
basis on which the decision was reached, must be sent by the Panel Chair to the Secretary
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 of Senate, who will send a copy to the student via Ryerson email within five (5) working
days. The Secretary of Senate must send a copy of the decision to the Chair, the Dean and
the Registrar.
e. Decisions of the Appeals Committee of Senate are final and binding.
f. Based upon matters arising at the Hearing, the Hearing Panel may make
recommendations on procedural or policy matters to the Appeals Committee of Senate,
the Secretary of Senate, a Department/School or Faculty Appeals Committee or Appeals
Officer, a Dean or the Registrar’s Office. These recommendations should be in a separate
memo addressed to the Secretary, who shall distribute appropriately.

P-III. Dismissal of Appeals

P- IIIA. Circumstances for dismissal
1. Submission past the deadline and incomplete submissions will not be processed. These are not
considered dismissed appeals, and there is no further action.
2. An appeal may be Dismissed because of the following:
a. Failure to provide a sufficient rationale outlining the reasons why the decision
made at the Department/School level or Faculty was incorrect.
b. Missing an exam and/or assignment for religious observance (see Policy section
IB1). If a student did not file appropriate forms at the beginning of the semester
or as soon as the final exam schedule is posted, cannot appeal at a later date
based on religious observance (See Policy 150: Accommodation of Student
Religious, Aboriginal or Spiritual Observance
www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/pol150.pdf)
c. Accommodation for Disability (Policy Section IB2)- A student who has been
granted an accommodation from Academic Accommodation Supportthe
Access Centre, but has not requested that accommodation from his or her
instructor, may not claim the accommodation after-the-fact, or base an appeal
on the grounds that the accommodation was not given. (See Policy 159:
Academic Accommodation of Students with Disabilities
www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/pol159.pdf)
d. Grade reassessments are not grounds for an academic appeal. (See Policy
section IC.) Students are required to review grade concerns with the instructor
within ten (10) working days of when the graded work is returned to the class or
by the appeal deadline if it is a final exam or paper. If the instructor does not
agree to review the work or does not respond within five (5) working days, a
student should consult the Chair/Director. The only appeal permitted regarding
quality of work is if the reassessment of the work was not done or has not been
done in keeping with the policy. The ground for this type of appeal is Procedural
Error (Section IIAB.5). There is no appeal of the new grade received – it may go
up or down or remain the same.
3. Medical (See Policy section IB3IIC2) – Documentation must be submitted within three days
of a missed test or exam, or graded assignment deadline, or as soon as reasonably possible.
It is expected that students will consult with an appropriate regulated health professional Formatted: Not Highlight
physician at the time of their illness. Appeals can be dismissed if the medical certificate is Formatted: Not Highlight
not submitted in a timely way, if it does not cover the period of time in question, or if there
is no medical documentation submitted with an appeal based on medical grounds.
4. Prejudice (See Policy section IIAC4) – If the H u m a n R i g h t s Discrimination and Formatted: Not Highlight
Harassment Prevention Office has found that there has been no prejudice on a prohibited
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ground, continuation on the ground or Prejudice will be dismissed.

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P- IIIB. Dismissal at the Faculty Level
1. If an appeal is dismissed at the Faculty level, the Dean must give the student written notice of
the intent to dismiss the appeal and the reasons for the dismissal.
2. Students have five (5) working days to provide a written response as to why the appeal should
not be dismissed, addressing the reasons stated in the notice of intent to dismiss.
3. The Dean must forward all documents to Senate, including the student response, if any, to be
reviewed by a panel of the Senate Appeals Committee, which will decide if the appeal will be
dismissed or proceed.
4. The Secretary of Senate will inform the Dean and the student of the decision in writing within
five (5) working days.
5. There is no further appeal unless it is based on Procedural Error.

P- IIIC. Dismissal at the Senate Level

1. If an appeal is dismissed at the Senate level, a student must be given a written notice of intent
to dismiss the appeal and the reasons for the dismissal.
2. Students have five (5) working days to provide a written response as to why the appeal should
not be dismissed, addressing the reasons stated in the notice of intent to dismiss.
3. The documentation will be reviewed by a panel of the Senate Appeals Committee, which will
decide if the appeal will be dismissed or proceed.
4. The student will be informed in writing of the decision within five (5) working days.
5. If the Panel upholds the dismissal, there is no further appeal.

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